What If's?

[nyrpassion]

or what if players couldnt be traded as in what if trades didnt exist

 

[WingsFan95]

or what if players couldnt be traded as in what if trades didnt exist

Then you wouldn't have stupid trades.

Gretzky would have retired an Oiler and Kovalev would still be on the Penguins.

Oh and Coffey would have retired a Red Wing.

 

[Vector]

Then you wouldn't have stupid trades.

Gretzky would have retired an Oiler and Kovalev would still be on the Penguins.

Oh and Coffey would have retired a Red Wing.

Wouldn't Coffey have retired an Oiler and Kovalev and Ranger then?

 

[Mothra]

Then you wouldn't have stupid trades.

Gretzky would have retired an Oiler and Kovalev would still be on the Penguins.

Oh and Coffey would have retired a Red Wing.

you need to brush up on your history a good bit...you are 1 for 3 in this post

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

What if Bryan Fogarty ends up fulfilling his potential? Does he become one of the best defensemen in league history? What if Eric Lindros reports to the Nordiques camp? What if Mats Sundin isn't traded away for experience?

This is my scenario of awesome.

Lindros refuses to report to the Quebec Nordiques and instead returns to the juniour ranks where he further establishes himself as the leagues next big thing. Meanwhile the Nordiques manage to convince Bryan Fogarty to get help and doctors diagnose him with social anxiety disorder. They manage to help him with his problem and after completing rehab the Nords happily welcome him back.

At the same time the Nords are finally able to come to terms with Eric Lindros, along with a hefty entry level contract they also guarantee Lindros that come the 94 draft they will also draft his younger brother Brett.

With two impact players added in such a short amount of time the Nordiques are able to take the league by storm after a less than stellar (in which they ended with the 4th overall pick, used to select rough and tumble defenseman Darius Kasparaitis). Kapar manages to join the Nords soon afterwards to further boost the Nordiques club.

With such a massive boost the Nordiques manage to post a great regular season but they are quickly ousted in the playoffs by eventual Stanley Cup winners Montreal Canadiens.

At the draft the Nordiques are busy little beavers as they manage to not only move up in the draft but also able to secure another draft pick. With these two picks the Nords draft Thibault and Deadmarsh.

That offseason Kamensky also arrives from Russia further boosting a steadily improving team. However unlike the previous season where the team managed to improve, despite some impressive individual efforts the Nordiques regress greatly ending up with the 9th overall pick and considerably out of the playoffs.

Using that pick the Nordiques manage to fulfill their agreement with Eric Lindros by drafting his younger brother Brett.

A few games into the season the Nordiques find themselves lacking in character despite all their gritty forwards, deciding that they might need a truly established power forward to further help the development of their developing ones the Nordiques trade Mats Sundin to the St. Louis Blues (they themselves realizing that trading Oates left them lacking a little something down he middle). Shanahan quickly makes an impact when paired with the Lindros' as they form what would be known as "The Legion of Doom."

The Nordiques manage to transfer this lines chemistry, as well as the continued development of forwards such as Kamensky, Deadmarsh, Nolan, the Lindros', and Sakic the Nordiques translate this talent into an extremely successful season, but during the post-season they are ousted yet again in the first round. In the ensuing offseason Eric Lindros is named the MVP of the league after leading the lockout shortened season in points.

Unfortunately this last straw proved to be the one that broke the camels back. Quebec City is told that it will no longer be able to support their hockey franchise, with attendance unstable and with the Canadian dollar on a downward spiral the facts can't be denied. Investors in Colorado buy the talented franchise and move it to Denver where they are renamed the Colorado Avalanche.

The team, although playing well still seems as if they are not fulfilling their potential. Back out east their old rivals the Montreal Canadiens are having trouble with their goaltender Patrick Roy, having recently been embarassed the star netminder has made his demands clear, he wants out, and he wants out now. The Avalanche are able to entice the Canadiens with a package surrounding their promising young goaltender Thibault. With the addition of Roy the Avalanche fill several holes, first they acquired along with Roy a fantastic defensive center, Mike Keane, as well as a star goaltender. Most importantly they acquire a winner and with him he brings a winning attitude.

That postseason the Avalanche manage to do in their first year what the Nordiques failed to do in their entire history, win a Stanley Cup. This trend would continue for the next 4 years as the Avalanche managed to capture three more championships in that time period becoming the next great dynasty.

I know, far-fetched, but it could've been fun...

 

[cupcrazyman]

what if Dale Hunter doesn't attack Pat Lafontaine after he score that winning goal? would still Dale have a very slim chance for HHOF consideration ?

 

[Mothra]

what if Dale Hunter doesn't attack Pat Lafontaine after he score that winning goal? would still Dale have a very slim chance for HHOF consideration ?

Turgeon

and no, as much as I love Hunter its just too much of a stretch.

 

[Al Bundy*]

Turgeon

and no, as much as I love Hunter its just too much of a stretch.

Better question:

What if Beaupre stops Turgeon from scoring, which led to the cheapshot?

IMO, no goal equals no cheapshot.

 

[Mothra]

Better question:

What if Beaupre stops Turgeon from scoring, which led to the cheapshot?

IMO, no goal equals no cheapshot.

the goal put them up by 3...it was the clincher not the winner

 

[WingsFan95]

Wouldn't Coffey have retired an Oiler and Kovalev and Ranger then?

No trades doesn't mean players couldn't sign as free agents.

In which case Coffey would have left the Oil eventually and in my opinion joined the Red Machine eventually. I know Bowman never got along with Coffey but I think it would have been different had he been signed rather than picked up in trades.

Kovalev would have gotten picked up as a Penguin, maybe that's just me but he was right for that team.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

What if Tim Kerr was healthy enough to play in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1985 and 1987? would he have been the difference maker in both those finals...

Probably not in 1985, as we were also missing Brad McCrimmon and playing with a severely hobbled Lindbergh in goal.

In 1987, it's quite probable that he would have been the difference.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Probably not in 1985, as we were also missing Brad McCrimmon and playing with a severely hobbled Lindbergh in goal.

In 1987, it's quite probable that he would have been the difference.

Interesting thing about the Flyers history is that quite a few times when they were in a position to win it all they had significant injuries. 76, 85 and 87 come to mind. A big part of the reason they get significant injuries is the fact they play their game with an edge, but if they don't play with an edge, they get less injuries, but on the flip side likely aren't as good a team and probably aren't in a position to win they cup.

 

[Mothra]

Probably not in 1985, as we were also missing Brad McCrimmon and playing with a severely hobbled Lindbergh in goal.

In 1987, it's quite probable that he would have been the difference.

i have a "what if" for the Flyers faithful

what if...they went after Cujo instead of Beezer?

 

[John Flyers Fan]

i have a "what if" for the Flyers faithful

what if...they went after Cujo instead of Beezer?

Personally of the belief that cuJo is overrated and there is no difference. Boucher took over for Beezer in year 2 .. and took the flyers further than CuJo ever took a team (1 goal decision in game 7 of the ECF).

CuJo would not have been any better than Boucher was that year.

Clarke didn't believe that CuJo was worth the years and money he was looking for.

His priority was:

1. Richter
2. Beezer
3. CuJo

Richter chose to remain in New York ..... which in all will likely be the difference between him becoming a Hall of Famer and not.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Interesting thing about the Flyers history is that quite a few times when they were in a position to win it all they had significant injuries. 76, 85 and 87 come to mind. A big part of the reason they get significant injuries is the fact they play their game with an edge, but if they don't play with an edge, they get less injuries, but on the flip side likely aren't as good a team and probably aren't in a position to win they cup.

They key injuries though had nothing to do with their style of play other than perhaps Poulin's cracked ribs during both long playoff runs in 85 & 87.

 

[Mothra]

Personally of the belief that cuJo is overrated and there is no difference. Boucher took over for Beezer in year 2 .. and took the flyers further than CuJo ever took a team (1 goal decision in game 7 of the ECF).

CuJo would not have been any better than Boucher was that year.

While I dont disagree at all that CuJo is overrated....I do think at that time he was better than Beezer....and if i recall correctly the leafs went to the conference finals that first season....beating the Flyers on the way....not that it was due to goaltending, just saying

As a Caps fan living in Media, PA at the time...i was happy they didnt get CuJo...in any case, i thought it was an interesting "what if" that wasnt too far fetched

 

[John Flyers Fan]

While I dont disagree at all that CuJo is overrated....I do think at that time he was better than Beezer....and if i recall correctly the leafs went to the conference finals that first season....beating the Flyers on the way....not that it was due to goaltending, just saying

As a Caps fan living in Media, PA at the time...i was happy they didnt get CuJo...in any case, i thought it was an interesting "what if" that wasnt too far fetched

At the time he probably was better than Beezer .. but he was looking for huge money for 5 years, he wasn't that much better than Beezer at the time .. they Flyers were willing to give Richter that big money over 5 years, but not CuJo.

They were able to get Beezer for 2 years + a team option.

 

[Mothra]

At the time he probably was better than Beezer .. but he was looking for huge money for 5 years, he wasn't that much better than Beezer at the time .. they Flyers were willing to give Richter that big money over 5 years, but not CuJo.

They were able to get Beezer for 2 years + a team option.

and thats how I remember it as well....I guess im just wondering how they would have done with a better goalie that first season, and even though BB played great in the following playoffs I wonder that as well


maybe a better question is what if 88 was healthy for the playoff during that span....or am i thinking about another year?

 

[EpochLink]

If the Jets didn't blow the 3-1 series lead against Edmonton in 1990..alot of Jets fans wonder what if?

Also, if they didn't blow another 3-1 series lead 2 years later against Vancouver..

Another what if is that....if the Nordiques went on to beat the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1985, would they give Edmonton a run for their money?

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Another what if is that....if the Nordiques went on to beat the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1985, would they give Edmonton a run for their money?

No reason to believe any better than the Flyers. The Flyers were better than the Nprdiques that year ... although by the time we played the Oilers we were missing our best goal scorer (Kerr), our 2nd best defenseman (McCrimmon) and had a hobbled Lindbergh in goal.

 

[Hasbro]

The WHA merger happens sooner (No Gretzky for the Oilers? Winnipeg doesn't fall apart?) What if different teams make it out of the WHA, Cincinnati Stingers, Birmingham Bulls, Calgary Cowboys.

 

[Up the Irons]

here's one.. what if Bo Jackson grew up in Toronto?